Regen Projects provides early look at new gallery in Hollywood

A rendering of the new location for Regen Projects in Hollywood. (Regen Projects and Michael Maltzan Architecture)

David Ng

Regen Projects, the prominent West Hollywood art gallery founded in 1989, is moving to a new location in Hollywood, on Santa Monica Boulevard just east of Highland Avenue. The official opening isn't scheduled until Sept. 22, but the gallery has provided a rendering of the design for the new facility by L.A.-based architect Michael Maltzan.

The new Regen Projects, currently under construction, is expected to have 20,000 square feet of space. The structure will allow for "larger-scale exhibitions," according to the gallery, and will also feature an outdoor sculpture deck.

The new space isn't being constructed from scratch. Rather, it is a complete overhaul of a disused building, according to Maltzan's architecture firm. The construction site is currently walled off by fencing.

The gallery is coming to a stretch of Hollywood that historically hasn't seen much in the way of high culture. The new building will sit adjacent to a Walgreens and will face a doughnut store and a 24-hour pawn shop across the street.

But the gallery will be close to the newly launched Perry Rubenstein Gallery, on Highland near Fountain Avenue.

Regen Projects currently occupies two close-by spaces in the West Hollywood area, near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Almont Drive. Since it was founded 23 years ago by the late Stuart Regen, the gallery has become a key player in the Los Angeles art scene and has developed an international reputation.

It represents such prominent L.A. artists as Lari Pittman, Doug Aitken and Catherine Opie, as well as several international names, such as Anish Kapoor and Matthew Barney.

Maltzan's other local projects include the Inner-City Arts campus downtown and the Carver Apartments.